


Behind the Attic Wall

by FlametheSeraph



Category: Marble Hornets
Genre: Angst, Body Horror, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Marble Hornets is a dream, Monsters, Nightmares, No Operator, Sad with a Happy Ending, Slime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25903414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlametheSeraph/pseuds/FlametheSeraph
Summary: In Tim's house, something lurks behind the attic wall.(Body Horror isn't gorey btw, just gross)
Relationships: Jay Merrick/Timothy "Tim" Wright
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Behind the Attic Wall

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a scene from JJBA part 4 that had a significant impact on me, not gonna spoil it but it explores a rather painful concept.  
> I keep the body horror to a minimum but enough to get the point across. This does have a happy ending.  
> I named it after one of my favorite books of course because I'm a dweeb.

He grabs the container from his fridge.

It's feeding time.

He snaps the lid on well.

He brought up a bowl once, which was promptly tossed, salad leaves flying everywhere.

Tossed by the creature in his attic...

He climbs the dark, creaky stairs that always speak his existential dread. This never goes well. But he has to do it. He owes it to him, and everyone else.

Back after Jay and Brian had died, he went to face Alex, and as they fought, he got the upper hand, pointing a gun at Tim's head. But in a ragged flash, Alex is tackled into the next room by the blur. Tim runs. He can hear screaming and gunshots and doesn't want to know what the fuck is in there. He even feels a twinge of guilt for leaving Alex with whatever it was. 

It's all quiet on the western front. He creeps down the stairs, reducing his echo as much as possible. There is a dragging noise, metal running across stone like a knife. He bolts out of Benedict Hall - but as he comes out, the glass window, floors above, shatters, and the monster comes crashing in front of him.

It's … horribly disfigured, skin turned to a green melting slime and wild eyes.

It doesn't attack him.

And now, that very thing is chained up at the top of these stairs.

He opens the dark and dusty room, eyeing the green stains in the old wood - god it would probably leak through the ceiling at some point.

The sound of a clinking chain signals it's movement. 

" _Come here … Jay."_

The creature, what's left of Jay Merrick, creeps forward into the light of the door.

Some hair still sticks out, in patches, but it's mostly fallen out. Purple splotches like mold dotted his thin arms on greenish hued skin. He has long sickle like talons and mangled teeth, lips pulled back in a skull like grin, and only sclera, deep bruised-black rings around his eyes. 

One time he … made a mask similar to Tim's old one. He rifled through the attic and made it from paper and markers he found. Like a skull, just like his face but not as gross. Tim ripped it up in horror as Jay screamed like a rabid coyote.

He tried to bathe him once - he just kept fighting Tim, and the melting wax like skin he washed off would just keep coming. And then he fought him the whole time trying to get clothes on him, and only managed for him to keep the hat. At least the slime doesn't have a smell. He expected rot - but Jay smells like nothing. Which is almost worse. He doesn't smell like Jay.

He places the food down with the lid still on - knowing what Jay would do next, as it is hurled at Tim's head, side-stepping so it hits the attic wall.

"Jay…" He approaches again with the container of food. "Please eat … I don't know if you have to eat…"

He gets too close and Jay scratches at his leg. Long sharp claws cutting through his jeans and through the dermis.

"OW - SHIT!" Jay growls and before he can attack again Tim lands a blow, sending him back into the floor.

He feels terrible for kicking Jay, but it would probably be a lot worse if he was eaten.

"Ok fine you don't have to eat…"

And this was his daily routine, just sitting and talking to Jay about his day, his plans, any progress he had in trying to locate the operator to undo - whatever the hell he had done to Jay.

One way or another … that's what he told himself because there _had_ to be a reason Jay came back to him.

It's been four years since Benedict Hall.

"So uh … not much today … read the news … same as usual … trump doing dumb things, that shit…"

Jay only stares at him just as he always does, answering occasionally with a low grovel or burp.

"I think I got a location down … I think the operators somewhere in Florida - but he gets around pretty well… I might drive over there one day … but I don't wanna leave you for too long…"

Jay stares.

Most days he talks to him and leaves. Others, he breaks down into sobs and endless apologies. 

Because this is his fault.

Indirectly. But it is his fault.

Jay's in pain - but he can't bring himself to end it. A form of torture for himself for his mistakes, for failing _everyone_. 

This is one of those days.

"You can't even … fucking understand me …" he cries. "What the fuck do I do Jay!?"

Jay stares.

"Stop staring at me! That's all you do! Do something, please!" 

That was a mistake. Jay stops staring, haunches raising. But Tim knows that whatever Jay does, he can't get through the chain.

He leaps at Tim, metal snapping at his neck as he digs claws into the wood planks leaving marks for the upteenth time.

_Ping! The chain breaks. He's upon him._

His claws close like cuffs and Tim struggles until the serrated edges cut his skin. His eyes meet equally wild ones and his breathing is out of control.

" _Jay … Jay I'm sorry… please…_ " He whispers.

Blue irises focus, leaning forward until hot breath ghosts over his face through the cookie cutter teeth. In them - some sort of recognition. Jay's head tilts, and he sniffs him, dangerously close to his neck. He's certain this is where he dies - bled out and partially eaten by a fragmented version of his friend.

Or maybe he'll be doomed to become just like him. Maybe Brian is like this too. Alex. Everyone. Everyone except maybe Jessica.

" _I'm sorry for everything Jay … I'm sorry…"_

" ** _Timmm~"_ ** The groggle is unmistakable.

He was held in place but he couldn't even move if he wanted too - he's frozen.

" _Jay?_ " It can't be. Jay hasn't said anything _ever_. Never acted like he knew who Tim even was - just a feral animal demon hybrid with the worst case of rabies man had ever seen.

One claw unwraps from his forearm, but he keeps it to the ground, afraid to move. The claws come carefully, delicately to rifle through his hair and he shudders.

" ** _Killlll …. Meeee."_ **Jay's face looks more waxy than ever as he starts shivering.

" _Please Jay … you're hurting me…"_

His face pours with tears, snot, and drool. He whimpers a sound, before laying on Tim's chest. But he's melting - his skin fusing with Tim's arm, and for a moment he pulls and struggles and it really does hurt - he resigns, just letting it happen. Jay's eyes are closed, melted over. What's left of the toothy mouth pressed to. His own.

 _'He's … trying to kiss me…'_ Tim is stunned - but starts to panic again when he can't breathe as his face fuses into mushy tissue.

He wakes up screaming.

Jay's half awake, rubbing his eyes, but he's still there's making the effort. Tim is usually the calm and collected one, and it hurts Jay on these nights, when a particularly bad dream breaks that resolve.

"Dear? Hey Tim." He grabs his arm, a point of contact and grounding that Tim needs.

"Talk to me Tim, don't bury it down…"

He's too high on adrenaline to feel embarrassment, and he spills the beans.

"I had this dream - that - that - Alex - killed you, but but … you came back and killed Alex and you were … you weren't Jay you were some creature - and I kept you in the attic and you wanted to die but I wouldn't let you and -" He breaks into more tears, hiccuping with air.

"Oh Tim, it's ok sweetie, I'm here alright, here -" He holds Tim's palm to his face. "See, I'm real." Sure enough, he can feel warm, solid skin, jaw flexing underneath as Jay continues a series of soothing noises.

"Shhh, there, it was nothing more than a dream. A horrible dream, but they can't hurt you. They can't hurt you."

He pulls Jay into his chest.

"You're heart's beating so fast … hold on."

He switches their positions, leaning Tim's ear against his chest.

"See? I'm alive. You're alive. You can feel me breathing right? Try to match that."

He listens, pulling a deep breath, letting it out in time with Jay's own.

He breathes again and is relieved by Jay's scent. They continue this until his heart rate has cooled down, his eyes heavy with sleepiness again.

"You tired?" Jay smiles - usually Tim can't go back to bed after something like this.

"Mmm yeah but …"

"They can't hurt you Tim, I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere. Well - maybe the bathroom." He jokes.

" _Funny_ …" he drawls, letting Jay lower him back onto the cool pillow.

Tim wraps bear arms around him and is content once more. He's squeezing him like a body pillow, but it's alright, whatever insures him that Jay's alive and safe.

Jay thinks about what he said about Alex, and laughs to himself thinking _'What if I go be mad at Alex and make him apologize for dream-killing me ha-ha…'_

It's a little bit hot wrapped up like this, but pretty soon they're both snoozing away, drooling happily on the poor bed linens.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in like a 30 minute spur of the moment so it's a lot shorter than some things I write.  
> To clarify this takes place where the events of Marble Hornets didn't happen they're all just old college friends and that good shit.


End file.
